The Annual Affair
by furi15
Summary: Someone's been having an affairthat's the only way I can explain it. EmmaShal duh! Don't like it don't read it, If you do like it, review!
1. Going home

Okay guys, I found this fic that i wrote like three years ago in an old notebook, and it's almost complete, so I figured what the heck I'll post it. And I just realized all my fics are family oriented. Don't know what that's about. But anyway hope you all like it. As usual it's Emma/Shal.

Disclaimer: No I don't own mutant X or their characters, just the storyline and other characters.

Beep, beep, beep. Crashཀཀ

"I hated that clock anyway." Emily grumbled as she forced herself to sit up.

"That's the third one this month," said a groggy voice from across the room. Emily opened her eyes and said, "We've got three weeks Christmas vacation so I won't need on till I get back.."

Her roommate Lara sat up and looked around. After five minutes of silence Lara stood up and began picking out her days outfit. After picking out her clothes she headed for the bathroom to shower.

"You will be okay right?" Emily asked throwing her legs over the side of the bed.

"I'm going to be fine." She said from the doorway.

"Are you sure? Cause I can delay my trip."

"Are you kidding. Your moms are dying to see you. It's been like five or six months since either of them last saw you. And you know that you're dying to see them so don't even try delaying anything on my account. My dad and sister'll be there so I won't be alone. And I'll be so drugged up I won't even know you're gone."

"I'm glad to hear it." Emily said sarcastically.

"Would you rather me feel the pain?" Lara asked leaning on the doorframe.

"Of course not...Unless that's the only way for you miss me the entire time." Emily said with a smirk.

"What? You're enough of a pain when I'm conscious. Now get over here and give me a good-bye hug." Emily hopped off her bed and complied. "You better be gone by the time I get out of the shower." Lara said during the embrace.

"I see you miss me already." Emily laughed letting go. Just then her cell phone rang. Lara gave her a knowing smile and went in the bathroom. Emily picked her phone up from the night stand and answered it.

"What do you mean you're downstairs. I'm not even dressed yet...Yes I know what time...it...is." Emily said looking for her watch.

"No I didn't break it. But now that you mention it, I need to buy a new one." She said sheepishly looking at the shattered alarm clock across the room.

"Alright I'll be down in five." She walked over to the bathroom door and shouted, "you got your wishཀ I hope you're happyཀ"

"Ecstaticཀ" Emily heard her say. All she could do was laugh. After getting dressed, Emily grabbed her cell phone and duffle bag and headed down. Recognizing her sisters car she threw her duffle in the trunk and hopped in the front seat.

"Did you call Shal?"

"No, I thought _mom_ would like the surprise."

"Oh that'll work. She'll probably smell us from a mile away."

"Only if you haven't showered in the five months we've been away." Her sister said looking at her from the corner of her eye.

"Shut up and drive."

"Oh this is my friend Erin." She said pointing to the back seat. Emily looked back and smiled. Then she backhanded her sister in the arm.

"Helloཀ Driving hereཀ"

"Why didn't you say something"

"I just did."

"I meant before I opened my big mouth!"

"Oh it's okay," Erin said from the back seat. "My girlfriends a mutant."

"Oh. Well then, I'm Emily, Emma's sister."

"Nice to meet you."

"So what brings you along with us?" Emily asked.

"Her girlfriend lives right near mom so we're dropping her off when we get there." Emma answered.

"So who's your girlfriend?" Emily asked.

"Her names Morgan, Morgan Alston."

"Shut up!" Emily's face brightened and her eyes lit up.

"Excuse me?" Erin asked confused.

"Morgan is just my best friend! Or at least, she used to be my best friend, but that was back in high school. I haven't spoken to her after she moved. How long you guys been going out?" Emily asked.

"Just about a year now. She moved up by your parents house after she graduated."

Emma turned on the radio and the two newly adcquainted took it as a cue to stop talking. They rode in silence for the rest of the trip.

Shalimar Fox heard the gravel in her yard crunch as a car parked on it. She sat up in bed and looked at the clock on her night stand. 1:54 a.m. Who in their right mind would be driving to her house at the ungodly hour? She thought. It didn't take her long to realize who those people might be. She threw her covers off and began nudging her sleeping partner awake.

"Em, Emma, wake up." Shalimar said to the brunette sleeping beside her. Emma DeLauro pulled the remaining covers over her head and rolled over. Shalimar heard the front door open and the familiar steps of one Carly fox and Emma II fox. She tried waking Emma again.

"The girls are here!" She said excitedly trying to pull the covers off Emma. Emma resisted and pulled them tighter around herself.

"Oh for crying out loud." Shalimar yanked Emma's pillow out from under her head and hit her with it. Emma gave in. She forced herself to sit up and looked Shalimar in the eyes.

"The girls are home." She said again clearing a few stray strands from Emma's cheek. Ready to go greet her daughters Shalimar tried to get out of bed only to be pulled back down by Emma.

"Shal, I sensed the girls coming like an hour ago. They've been trying to be as quiet as possible so they won't wake us up that way they can surprise us in the morning. So let's not ruin the 'surprise' and go back to sleep." Emma whispered leading her back down.

"Fine, but I haven't seen them in months so I get first hugs." The feral said. Emma smiled and wrapped the blanket around them, pulling Shalimar close.


	2. Mood swings

Alright guys, here's chapter two!

The sun beat down on Emily's face, but that's not what woke her. She opened her eyes and sniffed the air. Pancakes! She got out of bed, put on her fluffy slippers and ran to the kitchen. Just as she expected, her sister was sitting there with a smug look on her face pouring syrup on a pile of pancakes. Shalimar and Emma were also sitting at the table eating. Shalimar ran to her first and crushed her with a hug. Emma wasn't far behind.

"You cut your hair!" Shalimar frowned running her hand thru her hair.

"I think it looks beautiful." Emma smiled giving her a hug and a kiss on the forehead.

"Yeah, well of course _you_ would." Shalimar teased. Ever since Emily could remember, Emma had her hair a little above her shoulders, but Shalimar's was usually halfway down her back.

"You must be starved after being on the road for so long." Emma said ignoring Shalimar's comment. She took Emily by the hand and led her to the table.

"You ate all the pancakes?" Emily yelled at her sister.

"I did not!" Emma yelled back.

"Don't you two start." Emma warned.

"We made you each your own breakfast." Shalimar said taking a plate out of the oven.

"French toast!" Emily squealed.

"So what's new? How's dorm life treating you two?" Emma asked them.

"Well, I met this really cute guy the other day. He invited me out after Christmas." Emma said with a smile plastered on her face. (A/N: I know it might be a little confusing at first but there is a reason she named her after herself.)

"That's great. What do you know about him?"

"Not much. I know he's studying psychology."

"So you've accepted a date from a guy you know nothing about?" Shalimar asked making sure she was hearing straight.

"Mom, relax. He's a good guy." Emma answered.

"But you don't even know him well enough to say that." Shalimar said getting upset.

"That's _why_ we're going on a date. To get to know each other."

"Honey, relax. It's only a date. We all know Emma's capable of taking care of herself." Emma said.

"Remember what happened the last time she went out on a date with a guy she barely knew?"

"Mom I was sixteen."

"And apparently, you still haven't learned your lesson."Shalimar said a little more agitated.

"Hey look at the time Shal, isn't it about time for your morning run?" Emma asked looking at her watch.

"I can do it later." She said turning to Emily. "So how's your life going? You're not planning on dating a stranger are you?"

Emily looked at her sister, then back and forth between her mothers.

"Mom? Is everything alright?"

"Everything's fine, why?"

"You don't seem like yourself." Emily answered. Just then the phone rang.

"I'll get it." Shalimar rose from her seat and left the room. Emma and Emily looked at their mother waiting for an explanation.

"They're just a few mood swings. Nothing to worry about. She has them every year." Emma told them.

"We never noticed them." Emma said.

"Of course not. You two were too busy being kids and then teenagers. But don't worry, she'll get over them in a few days."

"Why? Is she going through menopause or something?" Emily asked.

"She can't go through menopause every year stupid!" Emma said rolling her eyes.

"Hey cut it out, you two haven't been home a day yet, and if you give me a headache before noon, I'll owe Shal twenty bucks."

"Then please explain the mood swings." Emily pleaded.

"Shal doesn't like people to talk about it, so it's best that we don't. Besides, she's fine."

"What? Why not?" Emma asked.

"Why what?" Shalimar asked coming back in the room.

"Why Emma's named after me." Emma said covering up the real conversation.

"You guys know that story by heart." Shalimar said taking her seat.

"We just love hearing it." Emily lied.

"Okay, what were you really talking about?" Shalimar said catching on.

"What do you mean?" Emma asked.

"Your sister hates that story."

"I do...not." Emily tried again.

"Do I look like I was born yesterday?"

"Well you look so youthful." Emily said.

"Nice try, let's go, spit it out." She said eyeing all of them.

"We can't. The girls and I were discussing Christmas gifts and if we tell you what we were talking about then you'd know what you were getting." Emma said taking the girls plates and walking over to the sink.

"Awwe! But I already got what I wanted for Christmas." Shalimar said hugging Emily.

"So who was on the phone?" Emma asked washing the plates.

"Oh uh, wrong number." Shalimar said a little flustered.

"Well, I'm gonna go take a shower." Emma said getting up and stretching very Shalimar like. "Thanks for the pancakes mom." She said walking away.

"There are clean towels in the hall closet." Emma shouted after her.

"I think it's about time I took a shower too." Emily said standing up and catching up with her sister.

"What do you think that's about?" Emily asked as soon as they were out of earshot.

"I wish I knew. Mom was acting pretty weird" Emma answered.

"Mood swings?" Emily suggested thinking about what their mother had told them before.

"I guess. That's what mom said." Emma said walking into her room. Emily followed continuing the subject.

"But that didn't seem like a mood swing. It just sounded like she was upset that you were going out on a date. Until then she was fine."

"Yeah well, mom said not to worry about it so...I don't see why we should." Emma said opening her duffle.

"Yeah but didn't mom look a little under the weather to you? And-" A loud crash from the kitchen interrupted them. The girls looked at each other. Emma was out the door before Emily and raced to the kitchen. She stopped in her tracks as Shalimar came flying in front of her. Emily crashed into her sister and watched as Shalimar picked herself back up, eyes glowing, and lunged at their mother. Emma landed hard as Shalimar pinned her down.

"Damnit Shalimar!" Emma shouted as she frantically tried keeping the feral's hands away from her neck.

"Mom!" Emma shouted rushing in and trying to pull Shalimar off. Emily joined in too.

"Mom stop it!" Emily said panicked. They'd never seen her like this, she was growling and clawing for Emma's neck. Unable to pull her off, Shalimar managed to clasp her hands around her lover's neck.

"Oh my god! Mom let go!" Emma shrieked as she saw her mother gasping for air. She reached in her mother's pocket and pulled out what looked like a small pen. She put it against Shalimar's arm and pressed a small button at the end. Seconds later Shalimar collapsed. Emma gasped and then slowly breathed in and out.

"Mom are you okay?" Emily asked gently pulling Shalimar off of her and laying her flat on the floor..

"I'll be fine. Just help me take her upstairs." Emma said massaging her neck and sitting up.

"What's going on mom?" Emma asked picking up the pen.

"I'll explain later. Just help me get her upstairs." She said taking the pen from her. The three of them hoisted the sleeping feral up and laid her in her bed. Emily and Emma watched as Emma made sure Shalimar was comfortable. And then placed a kiss on her cheek.

"I have a feeling this may not be the first time this has happened." Emma said to her younger sister.

"Well we're about to find out." Emily said as Emma came over to them.

To be continued...

Daryl- Thanks for your review hope you like chapter two. (Hey I think that rhymed)

Billy Rose- Thanks for your review. I'm still trying to figure out the kinks but don't worry, I'll figure out a way to make them both Emma and Shalimar's kids.

Anonymous- Thanks! I'm glad you like it. And I knew I wasn't the only one that noticed they were family oriented. But as long as you all like them. And the story's almost done, I just don't have much time to type it.

Over it- Thanks for your review, glad you like it.

EmmaShalforever- Thanks for the review. And as soon as I finish typing chapter 3 I'm posting it!

Naweoh- Hey hey hey! Lara and Erin were complete coincidences:) I swear, besides, this story is three years old. It is kinda creepy though, whoda thunk!. lol. Anyway, thanks for your review!

LilithFox- Sorry you got confused, it's actually a typo. You see, what had happened was that, I had the name Carly in the story originally, but decided to change it to Emily so you guys wouldn't think that they were the same characters from 'Friend or Foe' but I guess I accidentally typed it in while I was looking at the paper. Sorry again for the confusion. Thanks for your review:D


	3. Emma explains

"It's not what it looks like." Emma said ushering them out and closing the door.

"Really? Then explain it to us. Because from where I was standing, it looked like she was trying to kill you!" Emma said harshly.

"It's a little hard to explain." Emma said leading them away from her bedroom. The girls followed her back downstairs to Emily's bedroom which was nearest.

"Then try explaining, some of us aren't as dense as we look." Emma said looking at her sister.

"Hey!" Emily said taking offense. They both sat down on the bed and Emma sat at Emily's desk. "Shal's problem is...Heat." Emma began.

"Heat? What do you mean 'heat'? Mom it's 30 degrees outside." Emily said.

"No, no, she's _in_ heat." Emma explained.

"Like a cat?" Emily asked again.

"It's the whole feral thing isn't it?" Emma said.

"Your mom goes in heat about twice a year. And I don't know all the details because I haven't wanted to talk to her about it. She gets embarrassed whenever the subject comes up."

"So are you trying to tell us that mom tries to _kill _you twice a year?" Emily asked.

"What? No! Shal would never-"

"Oh gosh that's right! It was another feral I saw downstairs attacking you!"

"Emma, please. It's not what you think. When your mom's in heat-"

"Mom please, say Shal, it's getting weird talking about mom and heat and it's just weird." Emily said getting the chills.

"Okay fine, when _Shal's _in heat, the hormones and chemicals in her body get all out of whack and she get's this insatiable desire for... well ...you know-"

"Ugh! Mom! Gross." Emily cringed.

"How long has this been going on?" Emma asked rolling her eyes at her sister.

"Since before the two of you were born. Right after Shal's mutation advanced again." Emma said thinking back.

"No I mean mom kicking your ass!" Emma said frustrated.

"She doesn't realize what she's doing. It's like she's temporarily blinded by rage-"

"You still haven't answered my question mom. What happened in the kitchen just now, has it happened before?" Emily interrupted. Emma hesitated for a moment.

"So it has happened before!"

"It's happened. Twice before. The first time was about twelve years ago. You guys were about ten years old." Emma said inspecting her hands.

"It started when we were ten!" Emma asked.

"Wait? Which one of us was ten?" Emily asked.

"Why is that important?" Emma said looking up.

"Because if I was ten than that means Emma was twelve. But if she was ten that means that I was eight." Emily said.

"I don't care how old I was when it started. I just don't believe it. Even if you showed me a picture or video or bruises...I would've never thought...not from mom." Emma said disappointed. "What happens now?"

"Why don't we leave for a couple of days. Let her 'cool' down." Emily suggested.

"No," Emma sighed. "after she wakes up, she'll go on her own. She'll come back when she's ready. Adam usually sends her off on some crazy mission to keep her mind off her 'problem' before it gets too bad, but this year it started early and you were gonna be home for Christmas and she just wanted to be home with her girls. She thought she could handle it but.." Emma choked, her eyes welling with tears.

"Those business trips!" Emily blurted out. Both Emma's stared at her. Emily looked at her sister and waited.

"That was this?" Emma said turning to her mother. Seeing her confusion she tried to clarify it. "She had 'business trips' every year that lasted like a week and a half. Even though me and Emily knew Adam sent her on a mission." she said waiting.

"Yeah, that was this." Emma said. "Look I don't want this to change anything. She's still your mother and she's still the love of my life. I don't want either of you looking at her different or alienating her and I don't want you to be afraid of her. She's still the same loving woman she's always been. You just caught her on a bad day. Okay?" Emma finalized standing up and heading for the door.

"Yeah sure mom." Emily said.

"Mom wait." Emma said. Emma stopped in the doorway and turned around. "That pen wasn't a pen was it?"

"It was a tranquilizer. Adam gave it to me...Just in case." Emma answered before she left.

Emily studied her sister. "So what do you think?"

to be continued...

Alright you guys guessed it. Shal's in heat. But not any ole regular kind of heat. It's some weird chemical imbalance type of... I don't know! This is a very old story and I don't want to change any of it so it's word for word (except for those annoying grammar mistakes!). And if some of it doesn't make any sense blame my amateur writing skills from 2002! But it'll get better, after emily and emma start snooping around and they start finding stuff out and...well.. You guys'll find out. Thank you all for taking the time to review. We really appreciate it. (We-as in other writers as well)


	4. Girls Go Shopping

Okay so...been a month or so since I updated but I just forgot about this one. It's really old but somehow still new to me...Don't ask..I don't understand myself either! Well it's a little longer than usual but I hope you all like it. Don't forget to review...It makes me happy! ;D

"I think she's still hiding something from us." Emma said opening the door that separated their rooms. She grabbed her towel from her bed and headed for her bathroom.

"What should we do?" Emily said from the doorway.

"There's nothing we can do. Remind me to call Erin when I get out of the shower. We're supposed to go shopping today." Emma said closing the bathroom door.

"Shopping? She can't be serious." Emily whispered to herself. She sat on her bed and stared at the pictures on her night stand. One of them was a random picture her sister had taken of Emma and Shalimar in the living room. It was one Emily's favorite pictures. Emma and Shalimar were wrapped in a comforter asleep on a recliner. Shalimar's head resting on Emma's shoulder. The other picture was of the four of them. Emily was 11 and Emma was 13, both sitting on their mother's laps and smiling away for the camera. Now ten years later Emily couldn't believe her parents were having problems. They never had problems. Now here they were beating the crap out of each other and nobody seemed to care. Even her sister brushed it off like nothing happened. Emily jumped as her cell phone rang. Coming out of her thoughts, she hopped off her bed and grabbed her phone off her dresser.

"_Hello?" Emily answered._

"_Um..Emily?" A voice answered back._

"_Yeah, who's this?"_

"_It's Erin. Emma's friend."_

"_Oh hi Erin. I don't mean to sound rude or anything but...how did you get my cell phone number?" Emily asked sitting back on the bed._

"_Emma gave it to me. She said to call you if she didn't answer her phone. I'm sorry, she said you wouldn't mind."_

"_Oh no it's alright. I was just making sure you weren't some psycho stalker. So what's up?"_

"_I was just making sure we were all going shopping today. Unless you guys have some other plans..."_

"_Nope. No new plans. We should be ready in about an hour so we'll pick you guys up in say...an hour?" _

"_Yeah that's fine. See you then." Erin said hanging up._

Emily closed her phone and ran over to her sister's bathroom. She banged on the door twice.

"What!" Emma shouted from inside.

"Hurry up! We're picking up Erin and Morgan in an hour!" Emily shouted back. She hurried back to her own room and grabbed a towel. Forty-five minutes later both girls were dressed and ready to go. They were already out the door when Emma stopped and turned around.

"I think we should check on mom." She said opening the door again and stepping back inside. Emily shrugged her shoulders and followed her sister.

They walked to their mothers room and peeked inside. Shalimar was still asleep and Emma lay next to her asleep as well. Both girls noticed Emma had changed into a turtle neck sweater. They closed the door and tiptoed down the hall.

"Did you notice the turtle neck?" Emily asked.

"Yeah." Emma said quietly.

Emily backed out of the driveway and drove off.

"So why do you think she held back?" Emma asked.

"What?" Emily asked not hearing Emma's question.

"Why do you think she held back?" She asked again.

"Who?" Emily asked still not following.

"Mom."

"Which one?"

"Emma! She could've prevented being choked, but she didn't. She just let Shal do it." Emma said angrily.

"How? Shal isn't too easy to knock down."

"Mom could've blasted her one...or make Shal feel happy or something!"

"Calm down! We both know neither of them would consciously use their powers against each other. Especially not Emma! And we know Shal would never...at least not consciously...Well we know they'd never hurt each other! Now let's try to have some fun. We'll deal with this when we get back home. But for now, we're gonna have to concentrate on picking out our spring wardrobes." Emily said pulling into Morgan's driveway. Emma pulled out her phone and called the girls. Two minutes later Erin and Morgan came out hand in hand and got in the car.

"Morgan! I have not seen you since our junior year in highschool!" said an overly excited Emily.

"I know! When Erin told me who she came with, I couldn't believe it."

"Same with me! When Erin told me she was dating you, I couldn't believe it either."

"Well now that Erin's word is in question...Morgan, what happened to you? After I started college you fell off the face of the earth." Emma said.

"Not to mention my having to go through all senior year without anybody understanding my jokes! You know those inner jokes we shared all the time? It took months before I was able to make a joke and share it innerly with someone." Emily said.

"Innerly? Is that even a word?" Erin asked raising an eyebrow.

"You know what I mean! But really Morgan, what happened?"

"Well you guys of course know about Genomex...Well they found out about me and this guy Adam contacts me and tells me I'm in danger and suddenly I'm in some Mutant underground."

"Oh...well...that's not cool." Emma said. "But we're glad to have found you again!"

"Yep! We've got all afternoon to catch up!" Emily said excited.

One hour later they were picking at clothes racks and trying on shoes. Erin ran around taking snapshots of everyone while they weren't looking. She got one of Morgan and Emma fighting over a shirt and one of Emily spitting out fountain water all over Emma. Thirty shopping bags later, they were at the food court. Emily and Erin shared six slices of pizza, two big gulps and a banana split while Morgan and Emma stuck to Caesar salads and diet cokes. A few more shopping bags, and bathroom stops later, they were heading home.

Emma felt the happiness radiating from the girls before they reached the driveway. She put the last ornament on the Christmas tree as Emma and Emily came bustling in the door with their arms full of bags. She laughed as the girls tripped over themselves getting inside. They had so many bags they both couldn't fit through the door at once.

"Feels like you two had fun." Emma said helping them with their load.

"Told you she'd feel it." Emily laughed.

"Mom we bought so much stuff. Erin and Morgan had to carry stuff in their laps because we couldn't get everything to fit in the trunk." Emma said.

"And wait till you see what we bought you and mom! Where is she?" Emily asked her excitement fading. A shadow of sadness covered Emma's face.

"Mom? She's still here right?" Emma asked taking off her coat.

"Um yeah, last I checked she was still asleep." Emma said.

"So...What's for dinner?" Emily asked trying to lighten the mood.

"Oh I made some chicken, steak, ribs, rice, potatoes and some vegetables." Emma said walking into the living room. "Look I finished putting up the Christmas tree too."

"Wow, all of mom's favorite foods. Are you trying to lure her down here with food?" Emma asked. They followed Emma to the kitchen and waited for an answer as she set the table. Her hand was shaking as she set down the forks.

"Maybe I could try and bring her down." Emily offered. Emma was about to object but Emily was already running up the stairs.

She knocked on her mothers door. No answer. "Mom, dinner's ready." She knocked again and put her ear to the door. Still no answer. She turned the knob and poked her head inside. The room was cold and empty. The window was open and the curtains fluttered. Emily trudged back down to the kitchen where both Emma's had already started eating.

"You knew she was gone." Emily said taking a seat. She tried reading her but it was futile. Emma's mental barriers were so strong it hurt just attempting to touch them. Trying again, Emily received a mental smack.

"Ow! Mom." Emily whined putting a hand to her forehead.

"There will be no mind reading under this roof." Emma said not looking up from her plate.

"You tried to read her mind? She's got like 40 years experience!" Emma laughed.

"Oh shut up." Emily said. She served herself some food and couldn't help feeling uncomfortable. Nobody spoke during dinner and Emma was the first to finish eating. She put away the left overs and loaded the dishwasher.

"I don't want to see any dishes in the sink tomorrow morning. You're both old enough to wash your own plates." She kissed them good night and went upstairs.

"So did you get anything?" Emma asked leaning in toward her sister.

"Any what?" Emily asked confused.

"Anything from mom."

"Just a big mental mind block and a smack. Although...I did get something when she smacked me away."

"About mom?" Emma asked.

"I don't think so. It was a number...I think an address."

"Think we should check it out?"

"I don't see why not." Emily said stuffing a piece of chicken in her mouth.

To be continued...


	5. Confronting Shalimar

If you've forgotten what this story is about (I almost did), I suggest re-reading it (I had to), it's not that long. Here's the next chapter all. Sorry it took so long, well it took forever. But I've been having the worst week of my life so far. My girlfriend of 2 years broke up with me. Then I found out that she cheated...so I've sort of been a miserable mess. I started going thru some boxes and I found the rest of this story and some others. So here's another chapter. I hope you like it. Reviews would really really make my day if you've got the time...I'm gonna go type the next chapter now...enjoy.

"We should wash our dishes before we do anything else." Emma said finishing up.

"Think we'll find her?" Emily asked following her sister to the sink.

"I don't think she's too far. If mom knows where she is I doubt we'll have that hard of a time finding her." Emma said.

"Em, mom can check on us at school, and we're like 200 miles away. Just because she can sense Shal, doesn't mean she's close by."

Finishing with the dishes, the girls went up to check on their mother. They stopped a few feet from the door. Both of them could hear the stifled sobs that came from the other side. Emma opened the door and walked in. Her mother was curled up on the floor in the corner of the room. She ran to her and wrapped her arms around her. Emma accepted her daughters embrace and hugged her back. Emily watched from the doorway. She ran to the den and logged on to the computer. She typed in the address only to find no match. She opened up the mutant database and searched again. This time, she got a match.

His name was Arthur Millur and he was 51 years old. Feral. Emily wrote down the address. She broadcast a message to see how her mom was doing. Emma had been able to get her into bed and she was asleep. Minutes later the girls met in the garage and Emily told Emma what she'd found.

"What does he have to do with anything?" Emma asked getting in the driver seat.

"That's what we're going to find out." Emily said as they drove off.

"Maybe we're jumping to conclusions. He might not have anything to do with us at all." Emma suggested.

"Well all I know is that mom cried herself to sleep and this guy was the last thing on her mind." Emily said.

"She asked me a question before she fell asleep." Emma said.

"What was it?"

"She asked me, 'why does she do this to me?'"

"So, whatever this is about, we know that mom cries her eyes out at least once a year." Emily said.

"I wonder where she goes every year." Emma asked stopping at a red light.

"Maybe she hides in a cave or something." Emily suggested. They rode in silence for the next 20 minutes.

When they finally reached their destination, Emma's jaw dropped.

"I wonder what he does for a living to afford living in this place." Emily gawked.

"Maybe he's a brain surgeon." Emma said laughing. "How are we supposed to get in?"

"Leave that up to me." Emily said taking a deep breath. They walked into the building and to the front desk.

"We're here to see Mr. Arthur Millur. He's expecting us." Emily said looking around the lobby.

"Your names?"

"Molly and Dinah Millur."

"Let me check the computer." As the man typed in the names Emily concentrated really hard.

"Ah yes, here you are. It's room 643."

Emily smiled and pulled Emma towards the Elevators.

"Nice job little sister." Emma smiled proudly. "Now it's my turn."

They found the apartment and knocked on the door. A man in a white bathrobe answered the door.

"May I help you?"

"Are you Arthur Millur?" Emily asked

"Yes I am, what can I do for you?"

"You can go sit on the couch and watch tv and pretend we're not even here." Emma smiled walking past him. Emily watched astonished as Arthur did what he was told. She followed Emma up a set of stairs.

"I can't believe she's actually here." Emily whispered.

"This place is huge." Emma said going down another hall. She stopped in front of a half opened door. Emily stepped in first. The room was dim but visible. They covered their mouths at what they saw and tears streamed down Emma's face. Shalimar was asleep on the bed, her clothes scattered around the room. Another set of clothes was on the floor too. Emily searched for the light switch and turned it all the way up.

"Arthur turn that light down." Shalimar said without opening her eyes. Emily saw a champagne glass on the dresser nearest her. She picked it up and hurled it at the wall.

The crash woke up Shalimar. The feral was shocked at what she saw. Emily's expression was full of anger and resentment. Emma's face was covered in tears, she couldn't take it anymore and walked out. Emily just stood there, looking at her with disgust.

"Emily, what are you doing here?"

"I'd ask the same thing but the answer is pretty obvious." Emily said walking out of the room.

Shalimar put her clothes on as fast as she could and ran after them. She caught them at the elevator just before it closed.

"Explain yourselves!" She cried as the doors closed.

"Explain ourselves?! Explain ourselves!!. You're the one who should be doing the explaining!" Emily shouted.

Shalimar pushed the emergency stop making the elevator stop between floors.

"How did you find me?"

"Why? Why would you do this to her?" Emma asked in a hushed voice.

"Did you follow me?"

"Mom cried herself to sleep, worried about you!" Emily kept screaming.

"Do not take that tone of voice with me!" Shalimar yelled back.

"What are you going to do? Strangle me like you did to mom!?"

Tears quickly sprung from Shalimar's eyes.

"I didn't know what I was doing. Emma knows that. She knows I wouldn't do anything to hurt her."

"And that's supposed to make it better? Do you honestly think that just because she understands it hurts her any less? She feels exactly what you feel when you're yelling obscenities at her. What makes it worse is that those horrible words and feelings are coming from the woman she loves. The mother of her children!" Emily's words hit home and Shalimar's mind reeled.

"I think I'm gonna be sick." Emma said staring at her mother.

"You cheated on mom. Every year you've left the house, cheated on her and come back as if you'd done nothing wrong." Emma looked at her mother with pure confusion written on her features.

"It's not what you girls think." Shalimar tried to explain, but Emma cut her off.

"I don't understand how she even let you come back after knowing what you did. She shared her bed with you after you'd been with someone else."

"What? She doesn't know. She can't know!" Shalimar pushed the elevator button and it started up again.

"I've got to go talk to her. Make her understand. She can't know."

"Well for someone who can't know, she knows where you are and with who!" Emily said. The doors opened and the girls walked out first. Shalimar waited until the girls left the building before she got off the elevator. She headed for the parking lot and got in her car. Tears spilled down her face and she cried. Cried until she fell asleep with her head on the steering wheel.

to be continued...


End file.
